Digitally Curious

When you settle into your seat on your next rail journey, see if you notice small towers dotted along the journey right next to the track. These are GSM-R base stations - a private GSM network for rail operators.Launched in the UK around 2007, the technology is based on the GSM mobile standard, and GSM-R suppliers have committed to support this system until 2030.So what’s the future of rail communications? Enter the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) using the latest 5G technologies.To learn more about the opportunity for this new mode of operation, I spoke with Jochen Apel, Global Vice President of Digital Industries at Nokia, on the latest Actionable Futurist Podcast.We explored the exciting world of 5G technology for rail networks and its potential for transforming the rail industry.We also discussed the unique benefits of upgrading from the existing GSMR system to a 5G-based system, such as faster data speeds, a larger ecosystem of vendors, and more data to support critical operations, automation, and asset management.Jochen also sheds light on the potential of the Future Rail Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) as a global standard.We dive into the trials being run by Nokia with customers and SNCF, SBB, and Deutsche Bahn, and discuss the transition process for rail operators moving to FRMCS systems.Don't miss this enlightening episode as we uncover the advantages of 5G technology integration for rail networks and learn what smart rail operators can do now to prepare for this imminent change.We covered topics such as:What is the future of Rail?The Future Rail Mobile Communication System (FRMCS)What is holding back the move to FRMCSUnique benefits of the Nokia approachThe opportunity for FRMCS to become a global standard5G's use in Rail NetworksNew services unlocked by FRMCSTransitioning to new FRMCS servicesWhat should smart rail operators be doing to prepare?What does a forward-looking rail operator look like?Three actionable things to better understand the needs of modern transportation networksMore on JochenJochen on LinkedInNokia FRMCS solution websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Baby Boomers, Generation X, Gen Y, Millennials, Gen Z and now Gen Alpha. Is it right to define whole generations with a letter, and are we all that different?How can understanding generational differences pave the way for a successful future in the workforce, and how will Generative AI impact different generations? To answer these questions and more, I spoke with Social Researcher Mark McCrindle, who has spent his career examining each generation and how technology and societal issues affect each type.In this far-ranging discussion, we also covered:Putting labels on generationsHow technology impacts each generationTechnology adoption across the generationsEncouraging older generations to become digitally curiousGenerational Impact on Workforce DynamicsThe Generations and the future of workThe impact of hybrid working in each generation.Hybrid Work, Employee ExperienceWhere does wellness fit into the modern workplace?The importance of “employee experience”Future Employment Culture and ImpactThe need for re-skilling the workforceThe impact of Generative AI on the workforceEnterprise GPT impactsAdvice for leaders to attract and retain talentWhat is the future of work and how do we get there?Three actionable tips to better understand the changing workforceIf you want to understand how technology is likely to affect each generation and what is the future of work, then this episode is for you.Join us as we discuss the generational impact of technology on society and the workplace with Mark McCrindle, founder and principal of McCrindle Research. Prepare to uncover insights into how generational labels define us, and the crucial role they play in shaping workforce dynamics.We'll delve into the importance of bridging the gap between young and experienced employees, as well as the future of hybrid work and the significance of employee experience in retaining top talent. Learn how bringing together diverse generations within the workplace creates a level playing field, fosters understanding, and ultimately prepares organizations for the challenges ahead.Mark shares his wisdom on the importance of fostering organizational culture and investing in training and development to attract, retain, and empower the best talent. Don't miss this engaging conversation with Mark McCrindle, where we uncover the mysteries of generational impact, technology, and the future of work in a world of Generative AI.More on MarkMark on LinkedInMcCrindle ResearchThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

We all know that ethics are important in AI, but beyond doing the right thing, are we actually focusing on the things that matter with the current AI tools? While ChatGPT can write you an analysis of a Shakespeare play to help you pass the semester, should AI be used for more pressing world problems - and are we building AI on the wrong paradigm?AI Ethicist Stephanie Antonian thinks so. I first met Stephanie at a recent Cadastra event around e-commerce, and over networking drinks, we debated these points about AI.Having worked for Accenture, Google, DeepMind and GoogleX, she has been thinking about the role of AI in humanity for some time.She has written a series of essays, the latest one titled: “On Generative AI: Denying the Necessary Limits of Knowledge” and asks the question: What if uncertainty was the secret to advancing knowledge?Her thinking sparked my curiosity, so a few weeks ago, I packed my portable podcast recorder and we went for a 90-minute walk around London’s Regent’s Park to discuss these issues and more.We covered a lot of ground (literally around 4 kilometres) and one phrase that captivated me was "AI is a love letter to humanity".We explore this and much more in this fascinating episode including:How Stephanie got started in AI EthicsStephanie's experience with AIThe biggest issue in AI Ethics at the momentDealing with algorithmic biasThe issue with AI regulationHighlights of working for Google, Deep Mind and XAdvice for graduates working in techHow can AI be used for good?Dealing with the hype around Generative AI and ChatGPTHumanity’s problem of fact vs fictionThe problem with ChatGPTOpen-sourcing the truth to train AIShould AI development be halted?Stephanie’s essaysLove and AIThe role of empathy in AIThe link between AI and self-worthThe hysteria in the AI industryAre we building AI on the wrong paradigm?The opportunity for AIThe need for ethics and integrity in AIWhere will the next phase of positive innovation come from?AI’s love letter to humanityWill AI take our jobs?How does AI compare to previous innovations?Are you worried about AI?Three actionable tips to better understanding AI opportunities & threatsMore on StephanieStephanie on LinkedInAestora websiteStephanie’s EssaysThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

AI Ethics isn’t just something we should be aware of - it is a movement according to Gaurav Rao from AtScale. Gaurav says “To me AI Ethics is a movement. and the reason why I define it as a movement is I think it has two distinct parts. There's technical frameworks that are continuing to evolve, and there's societal best practices, and both of these are put in conjunction to drive the responsible use of AI.Gaurav is EVP & GM of Machine Learning and AI at AtScale and has been working in the AI space for a long time, and he really knows this topic. This episode is a really interesting one, as it peels away the layers of AI and ethics and challenges you to think about how your internal processes are structured to support the ethical use of AI.Bad decisions made by AI may have a limited impact when it comes to song choices, but when reviewing who might get a home loan or health insurance, it could have far-reaching societal implications.Gaurav argues that the issue of AI Ethics goes beyond the risk and legal departments and is something that your marketing and sales teams should be looking at now.As always, the Actionable Futurist Podcast show also provides actionable advice you can put into place today and next week.We discussed a range of issues related to AI and ethics including:Ethical considerations when developing AI systems and modelsThe implications of bad decisions when AI is involvedThe role of regulation and AI ethicsThe ethical challenges Governments face with AIHow can we trust AI systemsInvolving the Chief Risk Officer in AI discussionsWhere to go to learn more about ethics AI issuesMany of my clients have set up AI working groups to share best practices across departments because AI is now no longer the domain of the tech teams, it is permeating every area of every company.With AI in the news on a daily basis, you need to consider the ethical use of AI in your business, so set aside 35 minutes this week and listen to this episode.More about GauravGaurav on LinkedInAtScale websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

We’ve heard so much over the last few months about Generative AI and in particular, ChatGPT, so what does it all mean for companies, and what’s coming next?To answer these questions and more, I spoke with Heather Dawe, UK Head of Data at UST. She is is a well-known Data Leader with over 20 years of experience working across the industry.Heather has worked at a senior level as a Statistician and Data Scientist within government, the wider public sector and industry.With expertise in the health, retail, telecommunications, insurance and finance domains, Heather seeks to problem-solve and innovate with real-world challenges, within large organisations, academia, start-ups and incubators.She also pioneered the development of multi-disciplinary data science teams within the UK public sector.Heather is passionate about helping others to develop their skills and expertise. She is an advocate for democratising AI as well as achieving greater diversity in those who develop it.We covered a range of important topics in the field of Generative AI including:Defining AI and Machine LearningWhere Generative AI fits in the AI familyWhat the “GPT” in ChatGPT meansHow ChatGPT actually worksChat GPT3 vs ChatGPT4Is ChatGPT a step-change moment for AI?Are we expecting too much from AI?Do we need a pause on AI developments?How can we regulate new AI platforms?How Heather has been using ChatGPTDoes ChatGPT have a political bias?The power of Generative AI for company dataHow Cybercriminals could be using Generative AIHeather’s work with clients at USTGenerative AI predictions in 1, 3 and 5 yearsThree actionable things to better understand AI systemsMore on HeatherHeather on LinkedInUST WebsiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Does Generative AI restrict our freedom to think if we ask it to do everything for us? To answer this question, I spoke with international Human Rights Lawyer, Author and Speaker and author of  “Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate our Minds.” Susie Alegre.We last spoke to Susie on the podcast in 2022, before the Generative AI tool ChatGPT had been released, so in this show, Susie provided an update on her views on ChatGPT and AI in general.We looked at the current trends in AI, and Susie provided some advice for the big tech companies about how they take the next steps with these powerful tools.In a recent interview, she said: “If artificial intelligence doesn’t know the answer, it simply makes up plausible response, but it automates the prejudices of our societies and delivers them with the confidence of a crypto salesman”.She asks the question we're all asking - Chat GPT: What is it for?To end the podcast, she provided three actionable tips on how to best use Generative AI tools:1. think about why you're using it instead of using your own brain or your own time2. Don't believe a word it says; double check possibly through Google or maybe go to a library 3. Play with it. But don't trust it.This show provides a fascinating update to our previous podcast and is very timely.More on Susie can be found on her website.You can purchase her book here.Listen to our first podcast here.Thanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

What traits does the leader of the future need to survive? To answer this question, I spoke to Hannah Greenwood, an international Leadership Speaker, Coach and Writer who works with individuals and global teams to facilitate creative enquiry and implement change.She founded Cascãd over 19 years ago and specialises in developing the "Champion Mindset" - the alchemic combination of innovative thinking and positive energy.Cascãd’s Champion Mindset has helped individuals and companies achieve extraordinary things by harnessing the potential of true change.Hannah is an Associate at London Business School and was formerly Head of Counselling Courses at the Metanoia Training Institute for Psychotherapy and an Adjunct Professor at HULT International Business School teaching the MBA Leadership Module.She combines her leadership, teaching and therapeutic expertise to enable individuals to engage with their passion and to achieve excellence in their chosen field.We covered so many things related to the future of leadership, including:• What is a champion mindset, and why do we need one?• The difference between working one-on-one and working with a team.• The issue of presenteeism• Encouraging leaders to create teams that others want to join• Creating modern leaders• Transformational inner changeShe also recommended an excellent book during the quickfire round, so you must listen to the end.Resources mentioned in the showWomen Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola EstesMore on HannahHannah on LinkedInCascãd websiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

I’ve been guilty of quoting the phrase “The subscription Economy” many times over the last few years without really knowing who coined it - its origins are actually with Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora.To explain more, I was joined by John Smith Phillips, Senior Vice President of SVP Sales & General Manager, EMEA at Zuora on the latest Actionable Futurist Podcast.We looked at how subscription services might adapt in the future and looked at how John and his clients are currently moving towards a recurring revenue model.Zuora has helped businesses in all industries transition to subscription models, working with businesses from the Guardian to Schneider Electric.As John mentions, when you have a recurring revenue model and platform, you can actually see how your customers are consuming the service - and make changes or better versions of the existing product. This is a fascinating chat about something many of us take for granted.More on JohnJohn on LinkedInZuora WebsiteThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

5G networks are all about speed and capacity, so private 5G networks are just a closed version of the same - right? Think again. Private wireless networks are on the rise, and to find out more, I spoke with Shahid Ahmed, Group EVP of New Ventures and Innovation at NTT, on the latest Actionable Futurist Podcast.He is responsible for driving new digital experiences, offerings and technologies that create growth and transform people’s lives and companies and brings over 25 years of experience leading large services businesses with a focus on business transformation.In this show, we looked at several issues, including:• The difference between public and private 5G networks• The strengths of WiFi vs Private 5G• The opportunity for edge computing and 5G services• How NTT drives innovation• The power of a distributed workforce5G private networks won’t replace WiFi but will deliver new services in locations and industries requiring increased security and control.NTT surveyed 200 CIOs within the industrial manufacturing and automotive sectors, and they cited that the reason for deploying private 5G networks was not because of latency and speed but because of the inherent need for security and control.More on ShahidShahid on LinkedInNTT Global on TwitterNTT at Mobile World Congress 2023Thanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious

Remote working as an option for the modern workforce is here to stay - so what advice would someone who's been working remotely for years have for others?To answer this question, I spoke with Mark Pinsent, Managing Director, Europe for The Hoffman Agency - a leading Technology PR company.Mark graduated in 1992 with a degree in Information and Computing Science but his creative streak saw him enter the world of marketing and communications.He says he’s spent 28 happy years developing and delivering campaigns for B2B and B2C brands in the UK and internationally.In the second half of the podcast, from the 36:44 mark, we spoke about the art of storytelling and how PR can help organisations tell a great story.Mark is coming to us today from his “location agnostic” office in France.The episode is a long one, just over an hour, but worth listening to every minute.We recorded this back in June 2022, when things were stating to return to normal. Thankfully in March 2023, things seem much more open.More on MarkMark on LinkedInMark on InstagramMark’s Landrover Sandy on InstagramMark on TwitterThe Hoffman Agency websiteThe World for Sale bookThanks for listening to Digitally Curious. You can buy the book that showcases these episodes at curious.click/orderYour Host is Actionable Futurist® Andrew GrillFor more on Andrew - what he speaks about and recent talks, please visit ActionableFuturist.com Andrew's Social ChannelsAndrew on LinkedIn@AndrewGrill on Twitter @Andrew.Grill on InstagramKeynote speeches hereOrder Digitally Curious